1. Field of the Invention
The present invention involves unique winches for attachment to load-bearing structures, such as buildings, vehicles, etc., and especially to ladder utility racks attached to truck beds of pick up trucks, vans, the like. The winches involve the use of rack support structures to which they may be installed and from which they may be removed for portability. The present invention also includes the winch components without their conventional frames.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following represents patents which illustrate pick-up truck cargo bed utility racks and others which illustrate winches:
UK Patent No. 2,038,268 A to Ivor William James Small describes a winch device, in or for use in a load-carrying vehicle or other similar mobile apparatus, comprising a support member having two brackets, a bar rotatably mounted at each end portion thereof in one of the two brackets, a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted at one end region of said bar adjacent a first one of said brackets, a pawl pivotally mounted on said first bracket successively to engage teeth of the ratchet wheel, load-encircling means in the form of webbing or strapping, one of said load-encircling means being secured to an intermediate region of the bar so as to facilitate winding of the of the means about the bar as the pawl successively engages said teeth, a fixed stop member to limit pivotal movement of the pawl in one direction and a removable stop member to limit pivotal movement of the pawl in a second, opposite direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,048,374 to William C. Childress describes the combination in a strap stretching device, of a frame, a drum rotatably mounted in said frame and having means for receiving a strap to be wound thereon, an operating lever pivotally mounted on said drum, a pawl pivotally mounted on said operating lever and actuated normally to engage said ratchet wheel, a detent pivotally mounted in said frame and actuated normally to engage said ratchet wheel, and cams mounted on said pawl and said detent and adapted to engage each other upon a predetermined movement of said operating lever for disengaging both said pawl and said detent from said ratchet wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,104 to Andrew E. Adamson describes a tensioning device with the combination of a generally inverted U-shaped frame, a strap gripping device comprising a flat member fixed in relation to said frame and a movable gripper having a flat lug overlaying said flat member, a strap tensioning member on the other leg of said frame, a handle rigidly attached to said frame, a movable handle pivotally mounted on said frame operable to actuate said tensioning member, said handles being positioned entirely above the lower ends of said legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,204 to Robert R. Ibey, describes, in combination, a truck floor adapted for holding a load thereon, a stake mounted at one side thereof and having a pivot disposed horizontally and immediately above the level of the floor, a plate having one end hinged to the pivot and being free to swing from a horizontal position above and adjacent to the floor level to a desired angular position, a pair of flanges rising from the plate at right angles to said pivot and adjacent thereto, a winch drum revolvable between the flanges above the plate on an axis running parallel to the axis of the pivot, a cable, means for securing one end of the cable to the side of the floor opposite the stake with the body portion of the cable lying over the load and means for securing the other end of the cable upon the winch drum for winding operations to tighten the cable upon the load, the cable having unobstructed access to the winch drum and the pivot allowing the traction face of the winch drum to automatically orient itself within the line of draft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,331 to Melvin C. Morgan describes a loaded mobile bed, as a truck bed, and a load maintaining binder structure in the nature of a wide flexible band detachably hooked to one side rail of the bed, extending over the load, and detachably connected to the opposite side rail of the bed, through a winch. The winch is characterized by a drum thereof comprising a plurality of spaced and longitudinally extending rods, a stub shaft and a circular plate welded to each of the end portions of the rods, and pawl and ratchet means permitting rotation of the drum in one direction and preventing rotation in the other direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,045 to Holt A. Farley, describes an invention in which a U-shaped winch frame has a winding drum for a flexible tie-down element journaled in its arms which have notches in their opposite edges into which is fixedly secured to the body of a vehicle so that the winch can be freely slid along said truck into different positions relative to the truck body and the cargo load thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,002 to Errol S. Miller describes an invention in which an improved vehicle-mounted winch is disclosed characterized by a sliding bar allowing use of a web or strand to be secured thereto and tightened thereby, e.g., to secure a load.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,119 to James A. Biles describes a device for attachment to an upright post on a bed of a pick-up truck or other vehicle for gripping one end of a tie-down rope to apply tension to the rope to hold pipe or other load on the vehicle when the rope passes over the load and as the opposite end of the rope is secured to the vehicle. The device includes a shiftable, generally upright bar coupled with a jacking until secured by a bracket to the post. A cam member on the upper end of the bar is used to wedge the rope against the bar after the rope has been passed over the load. Then, by operating the jacking unit, the bar is caused to be lowered, thereby placing tension on the rope and holding the load in a rigid, secure position on the vehicle. The movement of the bar can be reversed to remove the tension by operating the jacking unit in reverse.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,736 to Allan R. Thomas describes a belt winch apparatus for holding a belt at the side of a load carrying trailer vehicle the apparatus having interlocking means so that the apparatus can be supported by interlocking between the tie rail and the outer side of the vehicle tray and hold the belt under tension holding the load while in the same position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,203 to Ronald W. Pope, describes a load-tie-down system which includes a load-supporting structure having a side support and a second support. A winch assembly is operably mounted on the load-supporting structure and includes a winch frame having a crosspiece and two struts projecting downward from the crosspiece. A winch drum is rotatably mounted between the two struts of the winch frame and a belt is attached at one end to and wound around the winch drum. A hook is attached to the free end of the belt. The belt is anchored by the hook attaching to an anchor located on the winch frame. The anchor includes a bar on the winch frame around which the hook may fasten. A lock to restrain the rotation of the winch drum is also included having a ratchet wheel attached to the winch drum and a pawl pivotally attached to the winch frame. The winch drum and anchor are located so that the belt may extend around the crosspiece and a load and then anchor on the winch frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,320 to David Christensen describes a ladder utility rack for pick-up truck cargo beds. It has two parallel horizontal base rails and at least two vertical stanchion units. Each base rail has horizontal and vertical running surfaces and each is adapted to nest atop and against sidewalls of a cargo bed. These base rails are not connected to one another except via the stanchion units. These units have vertical legs running from each of the base rails upwardly and inwardly and terminate at a commonly connected horizontal cross member. A second embodiment includes an additional set of rails, i.e. mounting rails, which run parallel to the base rails and, together with the base rails, form a horizontal platform for mounting items thereon to be transportable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,280 to David Christensen, describes a ladder utility rack for pick-up cargo beds. It has two parallel horizontal base rails and at least two vertical stanchion units. Each base rail has at least three contiguous walls, including at least one horizontal and one vertical running wall and each is adapted to nest atop and against sidewalls of a cargo bed. These base rails are not connected to one another except via the stanchion units. These units have vertical legs running from each of the base rails upwardly and inwardly and terminate at a commonly connected horizontal cross member. A preferred embodiment includes rails which are unistructurally formed, e.g. extruded, including portions in the form of an upright or inverted xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,327 to Thomas E. Derecktor describes a sliding connection especially suited for releasably and adjustably attaching an overhead rack or the like to side walls of a pickup truck includes a track mountable on the side wall of the pickup truck, and a sliding lock assembly releasably attachable to the rail member. The track includes an elongate tubular body having a bottom surface engagable with the side wall of the pickup truck and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, and a plurality of rail members integrally formed with the tubular body and extendable along the length of the body. The sliding lock assembly includes, in one embodiment, a sliding lock member of the track and movable along the length of the rail member, and a thumb turn for locking the sliding lock member at a desired position along the length of the rail member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,549 to Clarence Ogrodnick, describes a support frame which is secured within the cargo box of a pick-up truck. The frame supports a drive train comprising a differential driven by a motor. One differential shaft drives a first cable winch while the other shaft incorporates a clutch to drive a second and third winch either independently from each other or in unison. A system of pulleys ensures that cable wind on the first and second winches is toward the front of the cargo box while on the third winch it is toward the rear. The cable ends are secured to a cargo platform. When the electric motor is engaged the first and second winches are rotated, in a counterclockwise direction which winds the cable into the winch body. The retracting cable first raises and then draws the platform onto the frame. During this process the third winch freewheels and releases cable as necessary. Unloading the platform requires that the clutch mechanism is engaged to couple the second and third winches together. The motor is reversed and the first, second, and third winches rotate in a clockwise direction. The third winch retracts cable while the first and second winches release cable. The retracting cable, draws the platform off the support frame and toward the rear of the cargo box. As the platform draws far enough rearward to tilt off the support frame, the clutch is disengaged and the third winch freewheels, leaving the platform to continue to lower under its own weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,844 to Robert D. Anderson describes an improved winch crank assembly for use on typical flatbed trailers whereon cargo is secured using flexible straps. It permits the rapid winding of the straps onto the winch and reduces the time required for winding the straps by tenfold or more. The winch crank assembly comprises a portable crank assembly wherein a single crank can be used to wind the straps onto a plurality of winches on a single trailer. In addition, the portability allows the user to conveniently carry the crank for use on other truck trailers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,743 to Thomas E. Derecktor describes an invention in which a vehicle roof rack includes a track having an elongate tubular body with a thin wall which defines substantially the entire outer perimeter of the tubular body. The thin wall has a top wall section with an upwardly opening channel formed therein and a top wall section opposite the bottom wall section. The roof rack further includes a pair of support brackets for supporting the track in an elevated position above the roof of the vehicle. Each support bracket has a pair of fasteners for releasably attaching the support brackets to a gutter of the vehicle. At least one sliding fastening assembly is releasably attachable to the upwardly opening channel of the top wall section of the track. The sliding fastening assembly includes a member slidably mounted on the top wall section of the track and movable along the length of the channel, and a pair of fasteners for securing the member at a desired position along the length of the channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,058 to Robert B. Karrer describes a cargo anchoring and protection system that particularly is provided for pickup trucks. The system includes six basic contributing components that operate individually or together to multiply their usefulness. These include: a pair of extruded anchor rails are provided to be removably attached to the top surface of the truck bed side walls; a bed liner with an optional separate floor section; a universal anchor beam; a cab guard with optional cargo access doors; a cargo bed enclosure; and a rear bumper.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
The present invention is a support rack for attachment to a motor vehicle with a built-in winch component, and has been developed to enable truckers (pick-ups, vans and other vehicles) with ladder type racks of any sort, to utilize the inherent strength of a rack to support a winch component. Heretofore, winches required a base which served multiple purposes. The base provided a support for a shaft, a stationary location for a winch lock and a bracket for attachment. However, these prior art bases required materials and machining and could not be used for mounting on vehicles without drilling and bolting. It would also prevent mobility or relocation of a winch without substantial effort. Additionally, exterior mounted winches create outside obstacles. The present invention invention eliminates these problems, providing increased strength, ease of assembly and strategic locations while permitting mobility.
The present invention includes a rack unit for attachment to a motor vehicle, which includes at least two upright members and at least one horizontal support member connected at opposite ends to each of the upright members, and at least one shaft-receiving orifice located on and passing through either one of the upright members and or horizontal support member. In some preferred embodiments, a plurality of said orifices may be included, e.g. at lower and higher levels of the uprights, as well as on the horizontal supports. Also, in some preferred embodiments, gussets are included to connect the uprights to the horizontal supports, and these gussets may include shaft-receiving orifices.
The upright members include some form of attachment means for attachment to a motor vehicle, and these may be part of the uprights, flanges attached to the uprights or any known attachment means.
The winch component of the present invention has a shaft, a strap take-up reel, a one-way ratchet mechanism, wind-up means, and a lock-release mechanism, with the shaft being rotatably positioned within a shaft-receiving orifice on the uprights, horizontal supports or gussets.
The present invention""s support rack with built-in winch component may have at least four upright members and at least two horizontal support members in some embodiments, and may include lengthwise and crosswise horizontal support members or only one or the other of these.
In some of the present invention embodiments, the upright members are elongated and the connecting means are adapted for connection to a bed of a pick-up truck, flat truck or other high ladder rack. On other embodiments, the support rack with built-in winch component of the present invention has connecting means which are adapted for connection to at least one of a roof and walls of a motor vehicle van, and are typically relatively short.
In some preferred embodiments, the winch component also includes:
(a) a shaft securing mechanism for securing the shaft in the shaft-receiving orifice while allowing its rotation;
(b) the take-up reel for winding and unwinding a flexible securing strap, connected to the shaft and affixed thereto for rotation therewith;
(c) a flexible securing strap connected to the strap take-up reel at a first end thereof;
(d) a plurality of unidirectional pawl-engaging teeth located about the shaft and affixed thereto so as to prevent and permit rotation of the take-up reel and the shaft by being engaged and disengaged with the pawl so as to act as a one-way ratchet;
(e) a pawl operationally connected to the teeth for engaging and disengaging thereof; and,
(f) the winding means being connected to one of said shaft and said take-up reel for winding the shaft and the take-up reel.
For example, the plurality of unidirectional pawl-engaging teeth are located on a disk which is affixed to the shaft.
The pawl may be a stand alone element having a pivoting shaft for engaging and disengaging, which pivoting shaft is removably connected to one of the upright members, gussets and the horizontal support member and located adjacent to the unidirectional pawl-engaging teeth, for engaging and disengaging said teeth. In some preferred embodiments, the uprights, horizontal supports and the gussets may have small holes located near all of the shaft-receiving orifices to receive removable pawls so that a pawl and winch component could be relocated together.
The winding means may be a gripping wheel located on the shaft or may be any known winch winding means. If it is a gripping wheel, it may be formed from a side of the take-up reel. Alternately, it could be a handle connected to the shaft.